GO ASK JOAN:Your travel questions answered by JOAN SCALES
Anniversary visit
We are a couple in our 50s and are planning to visit Paris in early March for four nights. It is the 10th anniversary of our first visit to Paris. We would be grateful if you would suggest a suitable itinerary. We would also like to visit some of the more authentic French eating houses and coffee houses/pubs and would greatly value any other recommendations that you may have to offer. JS, Kerry.
There is one thing to do in Paris – walk, walk, walk and enjoy the city. Every corner you turn, there is something striking, unusual, historic or just fun to see. As you have been there before you have probably seen the major attractions, so here are a few other things to see.
The Jardin at the Palais Royale is a refuge in a busy city and just across the road from the Louvre. The centrepiece is a sculpture of black and white striped pillars by Daniel Buren.
The Pompidou Centre, a huge work of art itself, is home to all sorts of vibrant city life, culture and art. During your stay the Dance Your Lifeexhibition will be on and includes a look at the "Golden Age of Disco" – for the memories.
What about a dinner cruise where you will get to see the city at night with music and entertainment ( bateauxparisiens.com)?
The west half of the city tends to have upmarket restaurants and clubs, while the east half is where you will find smaller, trendier bars. There is no shortage of places to go.
Here are a few suggestions for restaurants. For somewhere traditional, Polidor Restaurant has been open since 1845, at 41 Monsieur-le-Prince, 75006.
Away from the usual tourist areas, Hotel du Nord is an atmospheric bar/restaurant with a cinematic history by the Canal Saint Martin, an area with an upcoming chic reputation, at 102 Quai de Jemmapes, 75010, hoteldunord.com.
Join the debate on where to get the best hot chocolate in Paris by visiting Angelina’s at 225 rue de Rivoli, 75001.
Buy fruit, cheese and wine for a picnic on rue Mouffetard in the 5th, a local street market, and enjoy the taste of real Paris.
Also in the 5th, in the Quartier Latin is Le Coupe-Chou, near the Panthéon, a traditional Parisien restaurant frequented by French people and with a menu you would expect in Paris, at 9 rue Lanneau, 75005, lecoupechou.com.
If you love fish and seafood then Fish la Boissonnerie at 69 rue de Seine (near Odéon, St-Germain) could fit the bill for a nice night out. It’s a laidback, local place.
Find cutting edge trendy restaurants with reviews on the pages of the Le Fooding movement site, lefooding.com, where you can click on an arrondissement and find places to eat. Le Figaronewspaper has the latest restaurants selections on Wednesdays.
If you are going to be in Paris on a Sunday, then you might like to enjoy a casual dinner at Jim Haynes, an American who has a salon on Sunday nights where lots of people from all over the world meet to chat. You can find details on jim-haynes.com.
Good websites for visiting Paris are bonjourparis.comand Parisinfo.com, and for an insider view of Paris, sign up for the newsletter on secretsofparis.com.
Long-stay winter break
For health reasons I am considering taking a break for a month to six weeks and would be very grateful for your help. Budget is very limited, so am considering renting off-peak in France or Italy. I will be travelling alone. I like culture, the outdoors, and would love to be in a position to swim in the sea. MK, Tipperary.
Swimming in the sea is dependent on how hardy you are. The south of France can be a bit chilly at this time of year and Italy can be downright cold at times, but not impossible.
Considering flights, and where you can get to easily with access to the outdoors and some culture, I think you have a few choices.
The Riviera coast of France and Italy are well served with public transport and an easy hop from Nice airport. There are flights to Nice at this time with Aer Lingus and the Cote d’Azur has good culture and lots of outdoors activities, even if it is just walking the Corniches and promenades.
All along the south coast are lovely towns and villages and rents are not too high at this time of the year.
I have seen a deal with clickandgo.comfor the Citadines apartments in Nice which costs about €2,500 for six weeks with flights. That works out at about €400 per week.
If you are looking for a lower budget, you would need to be looking away from the bigger towns and along the coast. Villefranche sur Mer is very nice, as are Beaulieu and Menton.
Heading onwards the Ligurian Coast, maybe somewhere such as Alassio, San Remo or Imperia Oneglia would be nice for you. They all have beaches, a good range of accommodation is available and not too expensive.
A small apartment should set you back between €200-300 per week. You can still fly into Nice and take the bus and train. Look for rentals on homeaway.comand holidaylettings.com.
You may find more modest accommodation on hostelworld.com, where they also have BBs and guesthouses. The airbnb.comwebsite has rooms in private houses, with varying prices, so you may be able to strike a deal for a longer break.
Email queries, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com